According to Benjamin Franklin, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” And so it is with fleas. The best treatment for fleas is to prevent them in the first place. However, that’s not always possible. Despite your best efforts, your cat or dog may end up with fleas. So how do you get rid of fleas once your pet already has them?
How to Know If Your Dog or Cat Has Fleas?
Fleas are small and may not be easily visible because they can hide within your pet’s fur. This is especially true if your pet has darker fur. However, there are other signs you can look for to determine whether or not your cat or dog has fleas:
- Movement in your pet’s fur
- Scratching
- Dark spots (called flea dirt) found on your pet or in areas your pet frequents
- White ovals (these can be flea or tapeworm eggs)
Do You Need to Give Your Cat or Dog Flea Medication?
Once you’ve discovered that your cat or dog has fleas, the first step is to consult your vet. Your vet can prescribe medication for your pet as well as make recommendations for treatments that you can do at home.
Get a flea medication prescription.
Do You Need to Give Your Dog or Cat a Flea Bath?
The first step in treating fleas on your cat or dog at home is to give your pet a bath. Your vet may be able to recommend a special shampoo to use that can help with the fleas. It’s important to speak with your vet first before using a flea shampoo. There are chemicals in flea products that can irritate your pet’s skin if they are allergic to fleas. Your pet’s skin may also become irritated if their skin is sensitive or raw because of the fleas. You may just need to use mild soap instead.
It’s okay to skip this step if your pet won’t react well to it. Some dogs and cats aren’t keen on being bathed and while a bath can help, it isn’t necessary if it will unduly stress your pet. If you do choose to bathe your pet, make sure to use lukewarm water. You can also use a mild soap, but it’s not required.
How to Comb Fleas out of Your Dog or Cat’s Fur?
There are special flea combs designed to remove fleas from your pet’s fur. On a flea comb, the teeth are spaced out so that they can trap fleas while at the same time allowing your pet’s fur to pass through the teeth. The flea comb can trap both fleas and flea dirt, which can be either flea poop or dried blood from where fleas bit your pet.
How to Kill Fleas on Your Pet?
It’s important to kill the fleas that you find on your dog or cat. However, don’t try to squish them. Fleas can be quick and jump away. This makes them very difficult to kill manually. Instead, try to catch the fleas on a flea comb. Then, dunk the comb into soapy hot water. This will kill the fleas.
How Often Do You Need to Comb for Fleas?
How often you need to comb your cat or dog for fleas depends on your pet. If your pet is prone to getting fleas, then you should regularly check your pet for fleas. Using a flea comb can help you to find the fleas. If your pet doesn’t regularly get fleas, then you should check for fleas if your pet is scratching or displaying other symptoms of having fleas. It can still be a good idea to check for fleas on a regular basis, just in case.
